–Tap tap.

I stepped into Grandfather’s mansion for the first time in a while.

“...It’s been a long time since I came here on my own two feet.”

I rarely walk anywhere on my own. I only walk when moving inside buildings, and it had truly been a while since I walked slowly from the entrance like this.

‘Still, I should show proper manners in front of Grandfather.’

I had carefully chosen my outfit. I debated whether to wear stockings and a skirt or the usual men’s suit I wore for work... but I ended up wearing the suit, thinking a confident image would be better.

After all, I had come here to give a business presentation.

“This is my first time here. Wow... look at this atmosphere, it’s so intense. Everyone was so kind at your house, Young Miss...”

“That’s just because you’re close to me.”

“Ah.”

Well, I am the type who prefers freedom. Grandfather, on the other hand, leans toward weighty and authoritative.

Objectively speaking, Grandfather is still a very open-minded person. It’s just that—compared to me.

–Tap tap.

I brushed off the glances around us with a light smile, then leaned toward Seo Ji-yeon and whispered quietly.

“Do you know why Daehwa Group uses the name ‘Daehwa’?”

“Uh... because the Chairman likes shrimp?”

“...That’s right.”

“...Wait, seriously?”

She got it right.

Chairman Yoo Seong-pil secretly told this to his grandchildren.

–‘Ha-yeon-ah, try some shrimp. They’re really plump. Didn’t I even name Daehwa Group after that big shrimp?’

–‘Uh... then why does your autobiography say it’s because you wanted to become a company that would leave a mark on history like a great river...?’

–‘You think I knew it’d get this big when I started? Back during the Korean War, I was selling seafood in Busan and had shrimp for the first time—it was just so good. Ahem. Ha-yeon-ah, when you name your company, be careful, okay?’

Maybe that’s why I like seafood too. There are lots of perks to being rich, but... having someone else peel shrimp shells for you is really convenient.

Sometimes I even have the seeds picked out of strawberries before I eat them.

“Young Miss, you really do spend your money in such novel ways. Do you jot these things down whenever you think of them? Like, ‘Ah, next time I’ll ask for corn kernels to be removed one by one.’”

“Come on, it’s not that bad. I don’t have so little money that I hesitate between thought and action. I just do whatever comes to mind right away.”

“That’s not a very helpful answer...”

“So Ji-yeon, you know how to cook, right? Next time you make corn soup, try removing each kernel one by one with tweezers. I’ll pay you plenty. Or try washing rice grain by grain.”

“How much would you pay?”

“That’s up to your first offer.”

–Ahem.

Seo Ji-yeon gave a light cough and pouted a little.

“Give me 100 million won. I’ll wash each grain of rice and make you white rice.”

“Sure. But will you actually do it?”

“I’ll just pay someone else 20 million won to do it, and keep the rest.”

“...You’ve become a truly impressive businesswoman.”

–Clack.

While chatting idly with my friend about silly things, Grandfather’s room came into view.

Hoo...

Alright, time to go in.

***

–Creak.

When I opened the door and stepped in, the aged Chairman Yoo Seong-pil was staring out the window.

“...You’re here, Ha-yeon.”

“Yes, I’m here.”

I sat quietly on a hard chair nearby, then placed my hand gently over Grandfather’s wrinkled one.

“Who’s outside? A new secretary?”

“Oh, she’s my friend. And my secretary too.”

“Hmm, a friend, huh. So our Ha-yeon finally learned how to make friends. Heh.”

–Cough.

Grandfather said that and then coughed for a moment. He didn’t seem to be in great shape.

An old and worn-out voice... that of a seventy-something-year-old man.

Before I died, people still said early seventies was a youthful age, but now, it was clearly nearing the end of life.

Especially for someone like Chairman Yoo Seong-pil, who had weathered the stormy world head-on.

“...Are you alright?”

“I’m still alright. It’s just an incurable illness... My condition’s stable. At least until the moment I die.”

“Then why...”

Chairman Yoo Seong-pil—no, Grandfather—laughed and slapped his knee.

“Come on, how could a seventy-year-old who hasn’t exercised in months be fine, especially after surgery?”

“....”

“Well..., I’m going out fairly well. That Lee Jun from the Sampoong Group, that bastard... Sheesh, some of my own men nearly died too. Lucky my granddaughter’s so clever.”

He nodded as he said that. For aging tycoons, the things they valued most were usually honor and family—and Chairman Yoo Seong-pil was no exception.

“Um..., Grandfather.”

“Yeah. You’ve come because you have something to say, right?”

“...Yes.”

Now that I was in front of him, I found it hard to speak.

I hadn’t experienced much of what people called ‘family’ in my life. I think I had one as a child in my past life, but... it was such a long time ago, and my reincarnation made those memories hazy.

In this life, the only people I’ve really had as family are my nanny and my father... and neither were what you’d call “normal.”

‘...Come to think of it, there’s Yoo Seon-jun.’

He’s somewhere between a friend and family. Then again, people like Lee Si-hyun or Seo Ji-yeon give off a similar vibe...

I don’t know.

“I, uh... I made a lot of money.”

In the end, that’s what came out of my mouth.

Money talk.

“Haha, I figured you’d say something like that, Ha-yeon. I know, Alpha Fund’s been making a killing, hasn’t it? Anyone who reads the papers would know.”

Phew, thank goodness he’s happy about it.

Well, money is nice. Sharing a hobby between grandparent and grandchild is an extraordinary stroke of luck.

“Right? Even I think it’s kind of amazing. You know what else happened back then...”

I ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ started giggling and bragging about everything I’d done.

How I hit it big during the dotcom bubble by picking up stocks like Yahoo from the bottom, how I crushed other hedge funds in Thailand and took the spoils, how I made reliable allies who would never betray me...

All the thrilling and joyful moments of my life.

“Heh, that friend you always bring around is pretty interesting too. Director Seo from Daehwa Securities... Her daughter, huh. The daughter’s better than the father.”

When the conversation shifted toward Aqua Capital, Grandfather said that. It must’ve been quite unexpected that I made a friend, because all the adults I knew kept asking who Seo Ji-yeon was.

They asked if I’d misunderstood, if she was just chasing after money, or if maybe I was the only one who thought of her as a friend...

If her dad hadn’t been an executive at Daehwa Group, they’d probably have dug into her entire family tree.

“Right? She’s smart, and more than anything, she knows how to keep her boundaries. A great friend, really. Whines a bit, but gets the job done beautifully.”

“Must’ve earned quite a bit herself. How big is the fund now?”

“Fifteen billion dollars.”

“Fifteen billion... dollars? Ha-yeon, you mean dollars, right? Your old grandpa’s hearing’s not what it used to be...”

Chairman Yoo Seong-pil blinked.

I proudly tapped my chest lightly and nodded.

“That’s right. About a hundred trillion won. Most of it’s debt, but once this is all over, I think we’ll still clear a hundred trillion even after subtracting liabilities.”

“A hundred trillion... A hundred trillion, huh. Hah, our group’s worth about thirty trillion.”

Grandfather stared at me with his mouth agape for a long moment, then asked quietly:

“Ha-yeon. But... can you really handle that kind of money?”

“Yes.”

“Hmm, alright then. In that case..., lend your old grandpa ten trillion.”

“...Excuse me?”

“Just kidding.”

It didn’t really sound like a joke, though.

***

–Clatter.

After a little while, Grandfather set down the half-empty glass of water.

“Fifteen billion dollars, huh... I originally remember it being five billion... You’re trying to play an amusing trick, aren’t you.”

Somehow, he seemed much more spirited than before, and he looked at me with an expression of amusement.

“Yes. I think it’ll be fun.”

I smiled back at Grandfather. Like we’d just discovered a spectacular toy—our expressions were quite alike.

Not that I needed to look in the mirror to know what mine looked like. I’d looked in it far too many times...

“Hmm. Grandfather. Do you want to guess why I came?”

“I’m not sure why you came to me, but I can guess why you came to Korea. You’re planning to strip the country bare. My granddaughter’s turned out to be a real scoundrel, huh. Heh heh.”

“Hehe. Still, I’ll be better.”

“You’re not the kind of kid who breaks the toy once it’s in your hands. That makes you better than those old men with too much money who think everything they do is right.”

I tilted my head slightly at those words.

“Grandfather... then, do I have the qualifications?”

I spoke indirectly, but the meaning was clear.

The qualifications to become the owner of Daehwa.

Grandfather looked at me with a strange expression, then slowly nodded.

“Yes. Try it—if you’re sincere.”

“...Really?”

“If that’s truly your intention... then it can’t be helped. I know what you show me is goodwill. This old man was useless and couldn’t help you much, but you still grew up well on your own.”

“...That’s not true. I got a lot of help.”

“Objectively, that’s true. If it comes down to it, just give me about a hundred billion won. That’s about the amount I gave you.”

“Um, wasn’t it closer to ten billion won? That’s what I remember.”

“Hmm. Your old Grandfather might not have your talent for managing money, but I’m still the best in Korea. Tenfold growth in ten years is nothing!”

Well... that’s true.

I nodded and blinked my round eyes, asking:

“Then... Grandfather, can I do ‘that’ now?”

“No, that’s not it. If you’re going to do it, do it after I’m dead.”

Chairman Yoo Seong-pil answered sternly and shook his head.

“Aw, but it would be more fun to play while you’re still around.”

“Wouldn’t that be better for you, too? If you start now, this old man will have too much of an advantage. Defense is easier when you have all the information.”

“You’re right.”

In a siege, assuming both sides are equally matched, the defender overwhelmingly has the advantage. And the more the attacker has to lose, the more disadvantaged they are.

I don’t even need Daehwa Group. And unlike other companies, Daehwa boasts an extremely sound debt ratio. Even in my past life, they turned the IMF crisis into an opportunity and massively expanded, and in this life, it goes without saying.

“And... this isn’t child’s play. You’re showing me the whole game board before we even begin. You don’t go giving strategy advice to an old man. But I also can’t pretend I don’t know your moves and take a hit.”

That’s true. I practically said, “This part is weak, so I’ll attack here,” and now to act like we’re fighting would be a bit much.

And like Grandfather said, to act as if this whole conversation never happened and go to war... it wouldn’t be fun, and it’d be a massive waste of money.

“Ha-yeon. Now that we’re here... there’s something I want to ask of you.”

“What is it? If it’s something I can do, I’ll try my best.”

Grandfather looked at me with an apologetic expression. He seemed to be thinking of someone other than me.

“Even if you fight among family... make sure you reconcile in the end. Before someone dies, no matter what.”

“I will. I was planning to anyway...”

“Ha-yeon, buying emotions with money is not reconciliation.”

Ah—he caught me.